Chelsea fans are not thrilled at the prospect of the Ricketts family completing a takeover of the west London club as a record-breaking deal continues to be anticipated. The family are one of a number of parties interested in sealing a purchase following Roman Abramovich’s decision to sell.
It has been reported that they are planning on flying over to London to meet key stakeholders involved in the deal, with a major development from Raine Group - the facilitators of the sale - expected imminently. Whether their presence in the capital sees a deal edge closer to completion remains to be seen but one thing that is clear is that some Blues supporters are opposed to any move.
Following the news that the family were considering a takeover, Chelsea fans began a movement on social media opposing the bid due to a number of accusations levelled over recent years. The hashtag #NoToRicketts received plenty of traction throughout Tuesday, with the head of the Chelsea Chicago Supporters Club, Brian Wolff, following in kind with an open letter.
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Whether the Ricketts family remain contenders following supporters actions is up in the air but any deal is anticipated to be a record-breaking one in the sports landscape. According to The Athletic, any takeover could end up being worth up to £3billion.
That would see Chelsea become the most expensive sports team in history, with the £2.5billion takeover of NBA franchise Brooklyn Jets expected to be surpassed. Meanwhile, it has been suggested that a deal could potentially be signed-off as soon as April, with Roman Abramovich having indicated his desire to sell as early as March.
An official club statement earlier in the month read: “As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart. In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the club, the fans, the employees, as well as the club’s sponsors and partners.
“The sale of the club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and club.”
